


The Kindness of Kings

by devilinthedetails



Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen, Justice, Kindness, Letters, Loyalty, Mercy - Freeform, Politics, Scanran War, Treason, reports
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2019-08-18
Packaged: 2020-09-07 01:20:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20301097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devilinthedetails/pseuds/devilinthedetails
Summary: Jon and Thayet receive reports from Northwatch.





	The Kindness of Kings

The Kindness of Kings

In his study with his wife beside him at his desk, Jon lifted the first of a stack of dispatches from Northwatch. The letter bore Harailt of Aili’s seal, which Jon slipped open to read aloud: 

“To Their Majesties, Jonathan IV and Thayet, King and Queen of Tortall, greetings,

I trust this letter finds you well. I write to inform you that the magical killing devices ceased their operation, simultaneously collapsing on the battlefield. With their collapse, the siege around the City of the Gods is broken. This is a miracle but an inexplicable one to our mages. Under my guidance, my mages will continue to explore what might have prompted the collapse of these killing devices. This is dark research but in unraveling the collapse of these monstrous devices we may come to a greater understanding of how to destroy these unnatural devices in the dreadful event that we must combat them again for it has been truly said by many wise scholars that understanding our enemy is our first step to defeating our enemy. 

I can only pray that our research in these dark matters will bring some enlightenment into the mysteries of these terrible killing machines and how they may be vanquished. In the meantime, our mages have spread the rumor that a great mage entered the war with Scanra on our side. This mage destroyed the killing devices. We are optimistic that this rumor will conceal our ignorance of how the killing machines came to collapse on battlefields along the border. 

With best wishes, I remain your loyal servant,

Harailt of Aili, Dean of the Tortallan Royal University”

“That is wonderful and mysterious news,” Thayet remarked into the silence that followed Jon’s reading as they both reeled from the revelation that the killing devices that had terrorized the border for months were no longer a threat. 

“Perhaps a mystery we shouldn’t question too much.” Jon managed to say through numb lips. He could recognize a hornet’s nest when he saw one and knew enough to prod at it with a stick for fear of getting stung. 

“No, this mysterious mage should be enough to intimidate our enemies in Scanra.” Thayet scooped up a second stroll, her finger slicing through General Vanget’s seal, and began to read aloud: 

“To Jonathan IV, King of Tortall, and Thayet, his Queen, greetings,

I have much encouraging news to report to Your Majesties, though I must caution against becoming too hopeful when there remains much fighting to be done in this war before it can be declared won. The killing devices all collapsed, allowing us to route the Scanrans. Our mages are unfortunately at a loss to explain the collapse of the killing devices, but have shrewdly spread a story of a great mage entering the war on our behalf to dispatch the killing devices. Their research efforts into explaining the collapse of the killing devices so we might learn how to defeat them should they march against us in the future are ongoing and may yet achieve results. 

Another rumor links the collapse of the killing devices to Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan and a group that accompanied her behind enemy lines into Scanra. Lord Raoul and Lord Wyldon have given me to understand that they ordered the Lady Knight and her companions to rescue her refugees before they could be transformed into killing devices to be used against us. Lord Raoul’s and Lord Wyldon’s more detailed reports on this matter should be forthcoming if they haven’t reached Your Majesties before mine. 

The siege around the City of the Gods has been broken, but fighting remains fierce there as it does along the border. We continue the war against the Scanrans with renewed spirit and more hope of victory than we had before the collapse of the killing devices. 

Yours in Fealty, 

Vanget haMinch, General of the Northern Armies” 

The more detailed reports from Lord Wyldon and Lord Raoul that General Vanget referred to hadn’t arrived yet, but Jon could guess from Vanget’s letter what lies they contained. 

“Sounds like Keladry of Mindelan committed treason with some friends of hers.” Jon could read between the lines of General Vanget’s letter. “Then Lords Raoul and Wyldon together concocted a story to cover her crime.” 

“Sounds like something we aren’t meant to dig into too much,” murmured Thayet, tapping her chin with a meditative finger. “Some secrets are best left unplumbed or else we might have to behead people we don’t want to behead.” 

“I certainly don’t want to behead Keladry of Mindelan.” Brooding, Jon tugged on his beard. “Alanna would storm to Corus to behead me if Raoul didn’t march down here to impale me with his lance first. Even Lord Wyldon would apparently take it as an affront if I executed Keladry of Mindelan, and I never thought there would be any move I could make as king that could risk offending both Alanna and Lord Wyldon in one fell swoop. Oh, and there would probably also be a nice peasant uprising if I dared to execute a knight for rescuing her refugees. I mustn’t discount the prospect of a peasant revolt, of course.” 

“Roald would probably also have something to say about it if you executed his friend.” Thayet’s lips quirked wryly as she picked up a letter bearing Roald’s seal and read aloud for Jon’s benefit: 

“To my royal parents, the King and Queen of Tortall, greetings,

By the grace of all the gods, I remain safe at Northwatch. 

Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan’s mission to rescue her refugees behind enemy lines has given me cause to contemplate at length the verse in Mithran scriptures: “Verily, Mithros addressed them at their final judgement to declare, ‘Whatsoever you did onto the least of my people that you did unto me.’” It occurred to me during my reflection that if this is the ineffable judgment of Mithros, it might behoove princes and kings to model their judgment after that of Mithros. 

I pray, as ever, that you remain in good health. Please be so kind as to tender my most loving regards to Lianne and Vania. 

With love from your forever dutiful son,

Roald, Crown Prince of Tortall”

Folding Roald’s letter and placing it on Jon’s desk, Thayet added softly, “I’d hoped he might write more than that.” 

“You know he saves his long letters for Princess Shinkokami and his sisters.” Jon pinched the bridge of his nose, accepting the old pain that Roald’s correspondence with his parents was always brief, formal, and laced with subtle implications rather than straightforward requests. Wondering if he had entrusted too much of his son’s education to Mithran priests, he demanded, scowling down at Roald’s letter, “What does he mean by quoting MIthran scripture at me?” 

“The quote is from the passage about Mithros judging souls as righteous if in life they fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, and clothed the naked,” Thayet reminded him as if that clarified rather than obscured Roald’s meaning. 

“Yes, but what does that mean?” snapped Jon, frustrated by his heir’s obliqueness. “Is he implying that since Keladry of Mindelan is a friend of his, he will count it a kindness to him if we spare her a traitor’s execution, or is he daring to suggest that I should account any kindness she did to her refugees as a kindness to us worthy of reward? The latter is far more inflammatory.” 

“Likely he is implying both, darling.” Thayet seemed remarkably serene about the provocative nature of the second implication in Jon’s opinion. “You know our son. He converses almost entirely in double meanings.” 

“It’s enough of a kindness to our son and a reward to Keladry of Mindelan that she’s being spared execution on Traitor’s Hill.” Jon turned the focus of his glower from Roald’s letter to his wife. “I expected more subtlety and rationality from Roald.” 

“Roald’s appeal seems perfectly rational to me, and I’m moved by it.” Thayet stood with an indignant rustle of her gown. “Especially if Keladry of Mindelan was involved in the destruction of the killing devices, the Crown owes her a display of our gratitude. I intend to ensure that she has all the supplies she’ll need to restore her refugee camp. Without your support if I must.” 

“Calm down, my dear.” Jon spread his palms in a placating gesture, reluctant to engage Thayet, who abruptly appeared to be on the warpath, in an argument. “I’ll fully support you in that endeavor.” 

“Magnificent.” Thayet favored him with a smile as cutting as a razor. “Roald and I had confidence you could be rational about this after all.”


End file.
